It must be getting to the end of June. My junk and regular email boxes are filled with pleas from various political organizations and candidates begging for money prior to the end of the reporting period. Apparently, once the calendar reaches July 1st, politicians turn into pumpkins and must report their contributions for the world to see.
For California gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom this means:
Gavin needs to hit a big goal before the public filing deadline – and we were making progress, but now membership numbers are coming to a halt. This is the worst possible time to see a drop-off like this. Gavin’s numbers go public soon and reporters will pick them apart. Opponents will look for weaknesses.
We have the chance right now to elect Gavin and blow past the nonsense in Washington. We will make sure every Californian has health care and affordable education. We will take smart climate action and defend immigrant families. But we can ONLY do this if you chip in to hit this goal. Time’s running out, so a group of donors has agreed to match every dollar you give now to help Gavin.
Newsom isn’t alone in his plea for funds that more resembles Cinderella’s curfew than what we see in the real world of politics: Scott Walker asked me to open up my check book to further the conservative cause for the same reason. A group just contacted me who warned of the threat Senator Elizabeth Warren posed.
With the health care debate at the forefront of American politics, Democrats have come out in force to expand Obamacare. This alarming email was received which said:
Senator Elizabeth Warren thinks she knows what is right for all Californians: single payer health care. The Democrats don’t want you to think for yourself, and Elizabeth Warren is taking her radical agenda and bringing it to the front door of California.
The Senator from Massachusetts was quoted in the San Diego Union Tribune as saying: “Now it’s time for the next step. And the next step is single payer.” The solicitation concluded: It is important that you help stop Elizabeth Warren from forcing her ideals onto the people of California. Donate today and keep Warren out of CA.
Even House Majority Leader Paul Ryan has entered the fray saying:
Not only have we secured these policy wins, but we’ve also had incredible results with the special elections. So let’s add one more victory to our list by closing out the month with a strong FEC report. Chip in $50 right now. Because we need to finish strong, I am triple matching every donation made to House Republicans before midnight tomorrow.
In evaluating these pleas for cash, I have to ask the obvious question, what have you done for me lately?
In the case of Gavin Newsom, the prospect of having sanctuary cities, free education and single payer health insurance for the entire state – including illegal aliens – is what he offers. The only thing that scares me more than this agenda is figuring out how to pay for it. Apparently there won’t be enough money left from Newsom’s campaign fund to take care of any of his social programs.
In the same vein I’m not sure my donations will do much to stop Elizabeth Warren’s invasion of my state to impose her health care ideas down my throat. Unless money collected was to be used as a bribe to thwart the senator from Massachusetts from invading my turf, purchasing lottery tickets would seem to be a better investment for me.
As for Paul Ryan it would be difficult for me to send him my hard earned dollars because other than winning a few special elections, what has Congress accomplished the past several months? Most of their energy has been spent on ridiculous Russian investigations that are likely to be headed in the direction to the “stairway to heaven” school of politics.
Hey dude! Take care of fixing Obamacare and pass some tax reform legislation before you ask me to spring for more contributions.
And for my own Congressman Mark De Saulnier, D-Concord, who just sent an urgent message:
We are one day away from a critical fundraising deadline. Unfortunately, we’re falling short of our goal this quarter. This is my least favorite part of the job, but I have to ask for your help.
Fundraising allows me to keep fighting for you in Congress, where I’m trying to do my part to elect more Democrats. I need your help to continue doing my job, and to help my vulnerable colleagues keep their jobs. We’re doing everything we can to protect healthcare, women’s rights and living wages. There’s too much at stake to lose any seats in 2018.
All I can say, Mark, is that it is difficult to send money to an individual who has never had a viable opponent for occupying a seat in the House of Representatives. For what you are doing in constantly following the coat tails of Nancy Pelosi in Trump bashing, and not working with the Republican majority, giving you additional cash seems to be a waste of money.
If you are not going to interact with Republicans, at least get some pork barrel projects for the district which might create jobs and opportunity for us unlucky stiffs who are living in the boondocks. I don’t care if you are a Democrat or a Republican. Just get something done for your constituents who Congress has failed.
One last footnote for Gavin and all the others. Why would anyone other than a lobbyist or political hack care how much money has been donated to a campaign when the reporting period comes to a conclusion?
Has our democratic system of government sunk to such a low level that we would want to eliminate candidates for public office because they would not have enough funding to effectively compete? Talk about a lesson of elitism in action? This is an awful concept. Gag me with a spoon!
To the whole lot of you both Democrats and Republicans; don’t ask me to give money to your damn political campaigns. All you do is to fulfill Hunter Thompson’s immortal words, “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.” As the 4th of July approaches, take a flying leap away from me.
This is so down to earth –and DON’T GIVE -why should we care how much “. Why would anyone other than a lobbyist or political hack care how much money has been donated to a campaign when the reporting period comes to a conclusion?”— Thanks for the reminder ABOUT all the nonsense ? Ken Matthews ,in for Rush, mentioned that when President Trump was asked about filling all the vacancies -he replied WE WON’T FILL THEM! So good to hear—more common sense from the RIGHT!
I was trying to think of something worse than giving a Democrat money to get elected. Still thinking.
I had to laugh at De Saulnier’s comment, ” We’re doing everything we can to protect healthcare, women’s rights and living wages.”. So what is he doing to protect the safety and security of his constituents by voting to protect illegal aliens when he along with the rest of the CA Democrap Congressional delegation voted against Kate’s law and the sanctuary cities bill? If they think more of illegal aliens than their constituents then they should move to Mexico and improve their lot down there.
Last week I received a call from the CAGOP asking for a donation. I replied “No. Why should I send a donation that will only be spent losing elections in southern CA when they haven’t sent so much as a dime to Republican candidates in my NorCal district in years. My money goes to my County committee; at least they are trying to do something.” Response? Silence, then “Thank you.” Click. It was a quick call.
Glad to see comments from The Captive, Abrjak, and JL Seagull. Sometimes when writing articles like this I fell like a lone wolf hanging out in “right field” who is unnoticed by the rest of the world. All of us coming to the same conclusion about this end of period reporting scam gives vindication to our dark view of this process.
politicians used to work for the people -now- they feel that you pee-ons should just pay to them to be on vacation 90 per cent of their terms and give them a raise -oh pardon me they give themselves a raise
i had a period in my life when i gave money to republican candidates. Subsequently, i received up to 10 phone calls a day from various republicans. i’ve had to cancel my phone number and start again.
Unless the republicans start supporting the President’s agenda, I won’t even vote for another republican again, let alone give them money. I am ashamed to be a registered Republican, but not a Conservative. I voted for Richard Nixon in my first trip to the polls, and have never knowingly voted for a Democrat, but the current back-stabbing and bickering and criticism of Trump in Washington by Republicans is disgusting. He is the only reason most of them have a chance of getting reelected.